Safety latch adapted for handbags and the like



Dec. 19, 1950 R. MAROGG 2,534,783

SAFETY LATCH ADAPTED FOR HANDBAGS AND THE LIKE 7 Filed July 24, 1947 IN VEN TOR.

fi/z'bara Na/vgg BY J A'TTUR/VEY Patented Dec. 19, 1950 LINKED OFFICE SAFETY LATCH ADAPTED FGR HANDBAGS AND THE LIKE d Claims.

My invention relates to latches or closure fas teners and particularly to a device of this type which requires the cooperation of two hands in order to open or release the same.

In ladies handbags, for example, the ordinary means which maintains the bag closed is easily operated by one hand with the result that such bags are readily opened and the contents removed by thieves operating in crowded places. Furthermore, the present types of latches used on handbags and the like do not positively hold the bag closed with the result that the bags sometimes open accidentally and articles are lost therefrom before the owner discovers that the bag is open.

While it is to be understood that my latch is not limited in its use to handbags and the like, but may be used anywhere such a latch is desirable, I have illustrated it as applied to a handbag and shall describe it below in connection with this particular application.

The principal object of my invention is to provide an extremely simple latch structure which cannot accidentally open. Another object is to provide a latch which is easily opened or released by using both hands, but which is very diflicult, if not practically impossible, to open using one hand alone. Another object is to provide a device of this character which is particularly adapted for use on handbags or the like in that it is provided with means adapted to form a handle for carrying such bags and which must be squeezed or pressed in order to open the latch, thus making it practically impossible for any unauthorized person to open the latch when the bag is carried by the handle.

I accomplish these objects by means of the novel structure described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of my latch showing parts of two hands in position to efiect an opening thereof;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary right hand, side elevation view of the latch portion of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section of Fig. 2 in the plane 3-3 showing the parts in their normal position when the latch is closed;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the position of the parts as the latch is being released;

Fig. 5 is a small scale, perspective view showing my latch attached to a handbag with the bag closed; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the bag open.

Referring to the drawing My device, as illustrated, comprises an elongated, attenuated element, such as a wire, formed of resilient material, and which is bent, as will be described below, to form my latch.

As illustrated, the wire is bent to form two, spaced, normally closed loops I and 2 which are angularly-disposed to each other, preferably, but not necessarily, at right angles. The portions 1 and 5 of the attenuated element adjacent the loop l, which is of a size adapted to be gripped by the hand, are crossed, as shown at 3, and from the point of crossing the portions 4 and 5 between the said loops extend outwardly substantially at right angles to the plane of the loop I and are disposed in slightly spaced, preferably parallel relation.

The portion t terminates in a free end 5 and, adjacent the free end, is bent downwardly and laterally towards the portion 5 so that, when the latch is closed, the free end 6 normally lies beneath the element 5, as best shown in Fig. 3. It will be apparent from Fig. 3 that the downwardly and laterally bent end of the portion 4 forms a closure for the space 1 between the portions 5 and 5, and that entrance to and exit from this space is barred thereby.

The portion 5, adjacent the down bend in the portion i, is also bent downwardly, as shown at 8, and backwardly, as shown at 9, substantially parallel to a plane which is perpendicular to the plane of the loop l. Thereafter, the element is bent downwardly and then upwardly to form the loop 2 terminating in the free end In to which a thumb ball ll may be attached. The portion [2 of the loop 2 which terminates in the free end It is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5, as being positioned between the portions 4 and 5 and held between these portions by the free end of the portion i. The loop 2 forms a spring which, when not restrained, will cause the loop '2 to open, as shown in Fig. 6. Thus, the free end of the portion l2 is normally held in the bend of the portion adjacent the free end thereof, as shown in Fig. 3.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that, when the opposite sides of the loop l are squeezed in the hand so that they are forced toward each other, the portions 4 and 5, because they are crossed at 3, will be moved in opposite directions. Merely squeezing the loop I, however, will not release the free end H! of the portion l2 from its engagement with the free end 6 of the portion 4 and, in order to release the free end ID from the portion 8, it is necessary first to push the ball H back toward the loop I, to the position shown in dotted outline at H in Fig. 1, and then push it away from the portion 4 toward the portion so that it may be passed out of the space between the portions 4 and 5, as shown in Fig. 4, thus opening the latch. In order to close the latch, it is only necessary to push the free end of portion l2 between the downwardly bent ends of the portions 4 and 5, whereupon, due to the cam action of the free end of the portion 4 therewith, the portions 4 and 5 will be forced apart and allow the free end of the portion l2 to snap into the space between the portions 4 and 5. As soon as the portion i2 passes the free end 6 of the portion 4, the portions 4 and 5 will snap back into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and hold the portion l2 in the space between them.

In Figs. 5 and 6, I have shown in a more or less diagrammatic way the manner in which my latch may be used on a handbag; the handbag being shown in dotted outline at [3. The loop I and the portions 4 and 5 may be attached by any suitable means to one side of the bag, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, so that the loop I forms a handle for the bag. The sides of the loop 2 may be concealed in the opposite sides of the bag with the free end ID having the thumb ball I l thereon projecting outwardly and upwardly from the top of the other side of the bag. When the latch is closed it is necessary, in order to open it, to squeeze the loop with one hand and to push the ball ll back, with the thumb or a finger of the other hand, out of engagement with the free end 6 of the portion 4, and then release it so that the bag will spring open, as shown in Fig. 6. To close the bag, it is only necessary to push the top sides together until the portion I2 is automatically engaged between the portions 4 and 5, as described above.

While I have described my latch as formed of a unitary, resilient element, it will be apparent that the essential feature of the device resides in the resilient 100p l and the crossed portions 4 and 5 which form a female element adapted to receive a male member, such as the member I2, therebetween. The portion 9 and the entire loop 2 are really not essential features of the invention in its broader aspects. This will be apparent from a consideration of Figs. 5 and 5. Thus, the loop I and the portions 4 and 5 thereof might be secured to one side of the bag and the thumb ball with a short rod depending therefrom be secured to the other side of the bag in a position to be moved into and out of the space between the portions 4 and. 5 when the bag is closed and opened.

Furthermore, instead of being used on a bag or disassembling a device including said parts. in the form shown in Fig. 1 for stringing various machine parts in the loop 2 so that they are positively held together as a group in assembling or disassembling a device including said parts.

While I have described my invention in its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the Words which I have used are words of description rather than of limitation and that changes, within the purview of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit of my invention in its broader aspects.

What I claim is:

l. A safely latch adapted for use on a handbag or the like and comprising an elongated, attenuated element of resilient material bent to form two, spaced, angularly-disposed loops, portions of said element between said loops being crossed adjacent one of said loops and being normally disposed in closely spaced relation to each other; whereby a separating movement of said portions may be efiected by forcing the sides of said one loop towards each other; one of the sides of the other of said loops terminating in a free end and being engaged in a zone adjacent said free end between said separable portions of said element when said latch is closed; and one of said separable portions terminating in a free end cooperating with said one side of said other loop adjacent the free end thereof normally to maintain said one side of said other loop engaged between said separable portions, and said loop closed irrespective of the relative position of said separable portions; the free end of the side of said other loop being disengageable to open said other loop by forcing the sides of said one loop towards each other and pushing the free ends of said element out of cooperative relation.

2. A safety latch adapted for use on a handbag or the like and comprising an elongated, attenuated element of resilient material bent to form a closed, upright, first loop adapted to form a handle for said bag and also to be gripped in the hand and squeezed to force the opposite sides of said loop towards each other; the portions of said element adjacent the bottom of said loop being crossed, the one over the other, and extending from the zone of crossing in closely spaced relation to each other and approximately perpendicular to the plane of said loop; whereby a separating movement of said portions may be effected by squeezing said loop; one of said portions terminating in a free end of said element and being bent downwardly and backwardly towards said loop immediately adjacent said end; and the other of said portions, adjacent the free end of said one portion, being also bent downwardly and backwardly towards said loop and lying closely adjacent said end, and thereafter bent downwardly and upwardly to form a second loop disposed at approximately right angles to said closed loop and terminating in a free end of said element adapted to be positioned between said separable portions of said element adjacent said first loop and in cooperative relation with the other free end of said element for normally maintaining it between said separable portions when said latch is closed; said second loop being openable by squeezing said first loop to separate said portions of said element and thereafter pushing the free end of said second loop out of cooperative relation with the first mentioned free end.

3. In a handbag, the combination with a resilient V-shaped element having the sides thereof secured to the sides of said bag and biased normally to hold said bag open, of a handle for said bag secured to one side thereof and comprising an upright loop of resilient material adapted to gripped in the hand and squeezed to force the opposite sides of said loop towards each other, latch forming means connected to said opposite sides of said loop and comprising a pair of crossed, approximately parallel-disposed members in normally closely spaced relation to each other but adapted to move apart as said loop is squeezed; one of said members terminating in a free end and being bent downwardly and laterally towards said other member normally to close the entrance to the space between said members; said V-shaped element having a free end projecting upwardly from the side of said bag opposite said handle and positioned to be forced between said members past the free end of said 5 one member and, thereafter, normally held between said members to maintain said bag closed.

4. In a latch; the combination with a male element; of a female element adapted to admit and engage said male element, and comprising a resilient loop adapted to be grasped and squeezed in the hand to force the sides of said loop towards each other; a pair of 1atch-icrming members, one connected to each side of said loop; said members being crossed, one over the other, in a zone adjacent said loop and extending outwardly from said zone in spaced relation to receive said male element therebetween; whereby said members will move apart in opposite directions to open said latch when said loop is squeezed; and means connected to one of said members and adapted to cooperate with said male member for preventing the passage of said male member either into or out of the space between said members unless said latch is opened.

RICHARD MAROGG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 422,463 Taylor Mar. 4, 189i) 895,198 Pike Aug. 4, 1903 1,742,569 Barker et a1. Jan. '7, 1930 1,785,468 Yancey Dec. 1-6, 1930 2,125,763 Christensen et a1. Aug. 2, i938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 22,457 Great Britain of 1892 495,867 France July 12, 1919 

